19 enthusiastic birders met at the Letter A on a lovely spring
morning to be greeted by a chorus of bird calls: Eastern Spinebills, Satin
Bowerbird, Oriole, Striated & Brown Thornbills, a Whistling Kite and a
nesting Noisy Friarbird. The quarry stop on Murrays Run road revealed both
Rufous & Golden Whistlers, White-throated Gerygones, Horsfield & Shining
Bronze-Cuckoos and the constant calls of Olive-backed Orioles. Morning tea was
had at the waterhole on the property of Pam & Bernard Sahm where the usual
waterbirds were seen. Coots were building a nest, a Buff-banded Rail & a
Latham’s Snipe were sighted & Fantailed Cuckoo, Crimson Rosella,
Yellow-rumped Thornbill were present. Through the Murrays Run Valley
White-winged Choughs & Reed Warblers were added to our list. Our first stop
on the back road to Wollombi via Yango, revealed Double-barred Finches, our
first Rainbow Bee-eater for the day, Pipit, Red-browed Finch & good views of
another Horsfield Bronze-Cuckoo. Further along at the waterholes were Black Swan
nesting, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Black-fronted Dotterel, Blue-faced Honeyeater
& Striated Pardalote.

Lunch was at Wollombi where good views were had of a
Channel-billed Cuckoo as it flew overhead. A walk through the village to the
Cemetery waterhole produced Yellow Thornbill, Azure Kingfisher, Cattle Egret,
Brown Goshawk, Hobby, a White-headed Pigeon, Black-faced Monarch & a Pallid
Cuckoo. The day finished at Wollombi Common, a new area for us to visit. Sacred
Kingfishers were found at a nesting hollow, Black Swans with cygnets, Peaceful
Dove & Wonga Pigeon calling. The weather and scenery were most enjoyable
along with the 89 species seen for the day. (Carole
Carpenter).